Craft plan knits 250 together

Sunday

Sep 26, 2010 at 12:01 AMSep 26, 2010 at 7:00 AM

Kris Hilgedick

A year’s worth of preparation came together yesterday when about 250 women affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gathered to put the finishing touches on a variety of hand-crafted projects. Church member Laura Jost has been working all year to get the projects ready for the women to assemble. Yesterday, they completed them at a semi-annual conference at the LDS church on Highlands Parkway.

Jost and a small group of women gather on Thursdays to sew, quilt and knit. Yesterday, the larger group put the finishing touches on 300 toy bags, 86 wall hangings for orphanages, 30 quilts, 200 school bags, 200 pairs of baby booties, 40 gurney blankets, 500 Christmas cards for U.S. troops and more knitted hats than Jost cares to count.

The brightly-decorated wall hangings will be delivered to orphanages to provide visual stimulation for children. The quilts will go to Warm Up Columbia, an annual coat and blanket drive. The cards will be sent to soldiers overseas who will use them as stationery to write to friends and family. The gurney blankets will comfort patients as they are transferred from St. Mary’s Health Center to nursing homes.

Some of the items will be forwarded to Salt Lake City to be distributed to developing countries. Other items will help people in Mid-Missouri.

Jost, who was honored in April as Volunteer of the Year by the Voluntary Action Center, opens her home to helpers on Thursdays.

“I decided, people are so busy, that if they had a place to come and work, away from their own home, they probably would,” she said.

So, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each Thursday, people from around Mid-Missouri gather at Jost’s home to help her sew, quilt and knit. One time, 20 people showed up to help, but typically three to six arrive.

Often people drop off materials they think she can use or clothing items they hope she’ll pass on to someone in need. She never refused items, although she admitted it can be overwhelming.

“As sure as you’re born, they give you exactly what you’re looking for every time,” she said.

Jost uses those materials — often fabric, yarn and sewing notions — to create items of beauty and usefulness.

Working together, a group of five young women helped cut templates for the baby booties. Two of them didn’t know how to sew, but they could wield scissors. “It’s good to sit and cut and talk and feel like you’re doing service,” said Margo Salt, 27.

“It’s nice to see so many people involved in something outside of themselves,” Jost said.

Jost spent her career in food service, but loves the “hobby” she’s taken up in retirement. “I like this better than anything I’ve ever done because it is so rewarding,” she said.

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